Phillip Island is the new National Surfing Reserve in Australia

Phillip Island has been declared Victoria's first National Surfing Reserve (NSR), in Australia.

The 18th National Surfing Reserve of Australia will have four beaches under the protected radar for its high quality breaks and natural environment.

Phillip Island, only two hours south of Melbourne, offers four sites along its coast: Cape Woolamai, Smiths Beach, Summerland and Cat Bay.

The Victorian government looks sure to follow the nine legislated National Surfing Reserves in New South Wales, under laws which provide the surfing community with "primacy in the decision-making process".

"This parliamentary law for surfers is a world first and is expected to become a legislative template for other nations to follow", says National Surfing Reserves founder Brad Farmer.

The initiative works closely with the World Surfing Reserves. Self-funded and non-political, NSR will next declare the world's first Indigenous Surfing Reserve, at Wreck Bay Aboriginal community.

Australia's Gold Coast is to be nominated for World Surfing Reserve status in 2014, while Huanchaco in Peru will be declared a WSR in October 2013.